World Wildlife Federation Canada's National Sweater Day: Grannies against Carbon Emissions

The World Wildlife Foundation has once again launched one of the woolliest initiatives against climate change. National Sweater Day is February 9^th 2012, a day when over 3000 Canadians have pledged to turn down their heaters and put on a sweater instead. It’s a simple concept; if every Canadian lowered their thermostat by just a few degrees, it would be like taking 300,000 vehicles off the road. That’s a significant reduction in carbon emissions.

Not only is National Sweater Day a good idea for the environment, the WWF has created one of the cutest, relatable campaigns I’ve ever seen. When I think of sweaters, I think about the two layered cardigan ensemble my grandmother wears around the house. And it isn’t just my grandma. For years grannies have been associated with wearing and knitting sweaters, as well as telling their grandchildren to put one on to ward off pneumonia. So who better than a call center of grannies to remind you of your upcoming commitment to the environment?

That’s right; you can pledge your support for the initiative by signing up for a reminder call from one of your choice of grannies. There is a reasonable selection of grandmothers to choose from, so whether you have a nonna, nǎina, oma or grandmère you can find the right fit. There’s a grannie photo gallery full of distinguished ladies waiting for you to select them. When you click on a photo you’re taken to an information page that gets you better acquainted with your new grandmother. This page includes a personality descriptor (like sassy, sweet, ornery), a nickname and a grannie quote. You can also hear the voice of your grannie of choice to see if this really is the lovely old lady you want calling you.

What I find so brilliant about this idea is its relatability. Most people have had a sweater wearing grandma at one point, and can appreciate the caring (if nagging) tone they can occasionally take when insisting we bundle up. The grannies remind us that we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the earth, both for our own sake and for future generations. As they care for our wellbeing and make sure we follow through on our Sweater Day promise, we must remind future generations that the environment is everyone’s responsibility.

Since every day is sweater day at my house, I don’t need a reminder to bundle up or turn the heat down. But if you need a friendly reminder, visit www.sweaterday.ca